Today the Italian Mama reminded me of a great verb and a precious gift: to blather.
Blather!
To blather means to talk in a long-winded way nonsensical way. You’ll normally hear the verb in an apology, as in, “I’m so sorry I blathered on.”
I love how close the verb approximates “lather” as in talking so much that you work the conversation into a fluffy lather. I picture frothy bubbles rising up around someone who blathers.
It’s not a bad thing. Blathering is a precious gift to both give and receive. When you allow someone to blather on, you give them the freedom to speak whatever they need to talk about. You let them empty their mind. It doesn’t have to make sense. In fact, someone listening to a blatherer might simply pick up the golden threads of conversation left here and there; they can help the other person organize their thoughts. What a gift. Already today, I’ve blathered on to two friends. I just talked and talked.
But when I’m on the receiving end of blathering, I feel so honored that a person would want to share their unfiltered, unprocessed, raw thoughts with me. Can you imagine being the kind of friend who sits down, looks intently at your friend and say, “Blather on! I’m here to listen! I will help make sense of it all.”
When you blather or listen to blather, it’s a place of blessing. It’s a gift to pour out words, and it’s a gift to sit as the listener. But either way, blather on.
[bctt tweet=”Friendship means we allow others to blather on, and we help them make sense of their thoughts. And we also entrust our unfiltered and raw thoughts to others. To blather is a gift to give and receive.”]